St Clare's Catholic Primary School, Preston

About St Clare's Catholic Primary School, Preston

St Clare's Catholic Primary School in Preston is a state-funded mixed primary for ages 3 to 11, and it is noticeably popular. With 279 pupils on roll against a capacity of 252, the school is running over its official limit, a clear sign of local demand. That demand is backed up by the admissions data for the 2025/26 intake: the school received 144 applications for just 36 places, an oversubscription ratio of 4 to 1. Of those, 39 families put it as their first preference, and only 33 first-preference offers could be made. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals sits at 7.5%, which is relatively low compared with the national average for primary schools, suggesting a less deprived intake than many of its neighbours. The school is Roman Catholic in character, and its headteacher is Rosalie Wroblewski. Facilities include a chapel, a forest school area, a library, and a gymnasium, alongside an ICT suite and playing fields.

Academically, St Clare's performs well above the local average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 81% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths combined, compared with a Lancashire local authority average of just 60%. That puts the school 4th out of 45 primary schools in Preston, placing it in the top 10% locally, and 151st out of 2,065 in the North West region. The average scores in reading and maths were both 108, comfortably above the national benchmark of 100. A higher-than-expected proportion of pupils achieved the higher standard: 22% across all three subjects, with 43% hitting that level in maths and 41% in reading. In its most recent Ofsted inspection, carried out in March 2022, the school retained its overall Good rating, with leadership and management also judged Good. The previous graded inspection in 2012 had also rated it Good overall, so the school has held a consistent standard over time.

For families considering St Clare's, oversubscription is the main practical hurdle. With four applicants for every place, a strong faith connection or catchment priority will be essential. The school offers nursery provision for younger children, which may help with transition. SEND support is available for pupils with moderate learning difficulties, speech, language and communication needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. Beyond the classroom, there is a solid range of clubs including gardening, eco club, drama, science club, and film club, plus sports such as football, rounders, cricket, cross country, and swimming. The nearest Outstanding-rated primary is Sherwood Primary School, just half a kilometre away, which gives local families a strong alternative. St Clare's suits families who prioritise strong academic outcomes in a faith-based setting and who are prepared to navigate a competitive admissions process.

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